Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-09-08
AND WHY NOT ALWAYS?
A Suggestive Question of Concern
to Many People.

Among the passengers with the
writer on an ocean steamer were a
lady and gentleman, both neatly and
carefully dressed, who were much to-
gether, and who generally entered the
saloon the lady leaning on the gentle
mans arm. Il suspect that's re-
cent case" said gentleman to his
wife. "Why?" said the lady. meaning.
probably. to point moral. "Oh. he's
SO attentive to her. and she sticks so
close to him." Eyes. and why not al
ways?"
The question is suggestive as to the
fixed relationships of life. A man and
woman take one another ''for better,
for worse" in Gods name, and VOW
perpetual care for each other as for no
one else. And during the honeymoon.
and, perhaps. for a moon or two more,
the devotion is conscientious and con-
slant. The bridegroom hastens home
as soon as duties will allow. He is no
where SO happy as with his wife. The
wife is ready for his coming. neat in
attire, pleasant in manner. reproduce
ing the smiles and the endearments of
the happy engagement meetings.
There is sunshine in the home, be it
ever SO humble. And why not SO al
WAYS?
tor, somehow, it is not in too many
cases. The man, we fear. il must be
admitted, is, as rule, the first to
modify his bearing. He is settling
down" He has outside duties and
cares. The little attentions-they
were all well enough for the love-
making and the honeymoon, but now
he has serious business on hand. Was
not the getting of partner for life a
serious business? These little bits of
demonstra,ive feelings are natural to
a woman; but he is man. Yet, were
there not times when he protested in
the strongest English he could COM
mand that these very little demonstra-
tons were the joy and gladness of his
life-that he thought of them by day
and dreamed of them at night? Why
not always so? But he gets absorbed
in other things. If his place is among
the well-to-do, he has his club. and
now and then there is race of yachts.
or of horses, or an exhibition. and he
is off to it, business notwithstanding.
Or. if he is among working people,
there is a regular society, or an ex-
temporized company at the corner. and
he goes to it, leaving the wife to enter
tain herself rs she best can. She is
only woman. She lives a good deal
in her affections. She remembers the
protestations of the lover. She con-
trasts them with the practice of the
husband. She remembers what he
promised, and for little while per-
formed, and she would not be human
if the question did not come to her
lips: And why not always?
But sometimes the attack of chiIls is
on the other side. The wife has, she
thinks. emerged from the poetry of
courtship, and passed into the prose of
actual life. Don't make fool of
.sour>elf: is. perhaps. the response to
her husband when he reproduces bit
of the old endearment. He is set to
wondering in his mind: "Why did she
marry me? Was it because she desired
an establishment, wanted a home. was
tired OF the place of an old maid or
wished to pique somebody else?" As
human nature is. the raising and set
Ting these questions in the mind is
bad for it. Inevitable little worries
and Emergencies of views will come,
trying the patience. and the chances
are. when she is less compliant than
he wished or expected. that he will say
to himself: ut is just rs l thought. 1t
was a place. and not me. she wanted;
and now that she has got it. I'm OF lit
tie account" That reflection does no.
aweeten the atmosphere of a homo.
Ladies, you remember how you began.
how nice and affectionate yvu we're.
Why not always?
For let us proceed to serious side
of the case. We go back to the man
who prophesied to the object of his
love future earthly Eden. in which
he. Adam. should be just as devoted as
she, Eve, was beautiful. But now
Adam is ABROAD with the beasts of the
field, or the beasts of "the set" he
goes with. and Eve is left good deal
to herself, and when Adam is at home
he is so absorbed. cold and common
place that he does not appear the
same man. Poor Eve! her heart Is
hungry, being a woman. for some
notice, sympathy and recognition.
She goes out of the Eden when oppor-
turity o1ers. One can not become
hermit And she l. still the beautiful